Georgia Public Broadcasting presents the Georgia High School Association state basketball championships.

Major funding for this program is made possible in part by IBEW Local Number 613 South Trust Bank.

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The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Live from the Macon Coliseum.

It's the 2004 GHC triple-A Boys Basketball Championship featuring the East Hall Vikings and the West Lawrence Raiders.

And welcome back, everybody.

As Championship Week rolls on on GPB, I'm Jim Tanaka, game number 11 of 11 games on championship weekend.

And this is going to be a great one.

The Vikings come in at 30 and two they want championships in 2000, one in 2003.

The Raiders are looking for their first championship since 1981.

The two guys to call this one or two.

Titanic and her plight.

Thank you very much, Jim.

Stuck by Tenneco along with Herb Wight, bringing you the second triple A double header.

And it's the boys and it's two different teams, one that might want to really run with the ball and one that wants to slow it down.

But they've got stars on both sides of this ball, no doubt about that.

It will be a little contrast in styles.

West Lawn knows that he's tall, loves that fast paced game, love to get up and down.

They're going to try to slow it down a little bit here.

You can see Frank Davis, one of the guys face Hall who makes that offense, go at about 15 points a game.

And he likes to get out on the break and he'll take it all the way to the hoop or he'll pull up and shoot a three or medium range jump shot.

He's got it all.

And when you look at the starting lineup, realize one thing this team goes ten deep, so they'll be coming in and out.

And also East Hall had 11 different players start at one time during this year.

So they will be confident and a lot of guys coming off the bench.

And there's your coach, Seth Varney.

Terrific job going for another back to back high school state titles.

And this is a team that could very well do it 820 winning percentage.

Now we go on to the other side and they're bigger.

They're a little stronger inside.

Yeah, that's Ken Kemp.

And he's a guy that averages really gaudy numbers.

He's at 19 points and 14 rebounds and still has time to dish out five assists a game.

So he stays busy through the whole ball game.

He's a senior, gives him a lot of leadership and they're going to try to get inside to him, dominate inside, keep the ball on the backboard and just pound it in there and try to slow down is hollow a bit.

And when you look at the starting lineup, you can see it's dominated by the seniors.

You can also see that it's dominated by the front court.

They average 79 points a game here.

54 of those points come from the front court.

So they'll be trying to bring it down inside and try to get that ball for some easy hoops.

All right.

Let's go to our public address.

ANNOUNCER for the starting lineup, tonight's Tripoli High School boys basketball game will function class triple AA Boys state championship in the final game of the night.

We have the he's tall Vikings with a record of 30 wins and two losses.

Dressed in black as your visitors on the scoreboard and the West Lawn raiders with a record of 27 wins and five losses.

Dressed in blue as your home team, have your attention for the starting lineup.

First for East Hall at forward number 24 six foot one Junior Jamie Evans at forward number 32, a six foot three freshman, Walter Hill at center number 25, a six foot three Junior Hill.

Greg Coleman at guard number 35 foot ten, sophomore, Right.

Davis Right.

Guard Number 12 five foot eight.

Junior.

Moore as Jackson and your East Town head coach Self finance.

And now for your waistline for later and forward number 3a6 foot four star for Demaryius Thomas at forward number 14, six foot three senior Michael Allen at center number 22, a six foot three senior here.

He'll add guard number five or six foot two.

Senior Henry Prince at guard number 24, five foot eight.

Junior Thomas mia and your West Lions head coach, Paul Williams.

So there you have it.

Plus, large events moves to our final final three, eight boys high school basketball championship.

We're back in a moment after this message.

Go play used to break from the Sorry, Tom, I didn't get that count down.

that's fine.

You did All right.

You don't have to take it right down to the core.

I was going to take it right down and then I.

We haven't done that yet.

Yeah, we didn't do it.

Good.

I was going to fill in.

Don't be so paranoid.

okay.

I was going to give you a really.

I was going to show you how I could feel.

And then, you know, you pick it up at five and I was like, Lisa, let's go to Lisa Rhys.

It's really sweet that you see the whole little thing that the guy went through.

It's amazing.

I wish we had a camera on that.

did they not?

Because I was saying I was going to say, I hope the games as well as the introductions.

Yeah.

Yeah.

The guy had a little different skit for everybody that came out.

That was cool.

Lisa We vise we so with Coke, go to Lisa.

Go to Lisa.

Then it's called check it information.

The first thing that she did after her bubbly and like some bubbly public television state, Spiro got in trouble.

I've never seen anything like it on the air, but since we're obviously going to go crazy in the United States, three zero down hour.

And welcome back to the three AA Boys High School championship.

There's your match up is Hall the defending champs against West Lawn 27 at 530 and two.

Let's go to Lisa was our sideline reporter.

All right thanks to now I don't know if you guys believe in fate or destiny, but he's head coach seven signings that really told me that in 2001 war games that won the state title they did as well but also won in 2003 after the Gainesville girls won the state title.

And if that is it weird enough, check this out.

Seth Vining also told me that he coached Tasha's mother in the state championship.

You know, when she went to high school at East Hall, going back to you.

All right, You believe in fate.

It's kind of like the whole Kennedy and tie and thing, which we don't have time to go into.

Thank goodness for that.

We did the first game, but we don't.

And we're underway.

We saw controls the ball and this is what they're going to do run, run and throw it up.

And then every looking all ready.

We're starting with Walker Hill with the Jumper and there's a full court pressure in high school.

It's called 60 feet or 90 feet of head.

Jase Hall is just going to do that relentlessly the whole game and no substitute five players at a time start because of the pace they play.

It.

And you see what Russ Lyons is going to try to do to counteract that.

They're going to go inside and they're going to stick it up, and that's exactly what they do.

And Ken Kemp can do that.

He does it at 19 points a clip.

And if they get inside and get the big guys going, this could be a terrific game, an excellent rebounding team.

Ken Kemp, as we mentioned, the pre game averaging 16 rebounds a game as well as 19 points off the iron.

It's Tootsie Roll going grab your weapon Stewart White to the curb White boy three eight state high school championship.

This launch comes down to 131 zone defense and creates some turnover right times when you play that 131 state you play the passing lanes, try to create those long passes and then double team when you have the opportunity.

You hate to be the one zone because those are the guys you really have to run point game.

The baseline guy got a lot of work and you play the 131 defense and it's going to be a physical game because there's already been some knocking and some pushing and some hitting them though.

WHISTLE Well, he's tall, likes to come out and they love to be able to hit you and grab you and, you know, slap you when they're doing their press.

And of course, West Lauren's a strong team inside.

They like the rough stuff underneath.

So could be very physical.

And I'm guessing, Tucker, even when you have three refs to referee a game where teams up and down, it's so helter skelter, you've got to keep up with them.

Little traffic, less line.

And he's home.

They've already wanted to put up a shot about three times.

But good perimeter defense so far by west Lauren and the turnover back at you you start with the three small gets the three and we're going the other way in a hurry Marc Marquez Jackson with the three and the other three.

And that's going to be this type of game all night.

He's tall, controlled and they love to run, as you can see, ran into each other on that play open wide open Gordon for the layup Thomas Smith and look at it the accelerator is on great pass inside and one nicely done And so far let's let's to say you want to run run Michael alive just with a great pass inside penetrated to the foul line and whipped it inside here you see it on the replay and as we mentioned early going five substitutions, all five come in.

Well, not the way I would like to coach.

I think it's tough to get a rhythm, but really he's tall, doesn't have a rhythm to their offense.

They just get it and go and they're going to substitute.

They're going to keep coming at you in ways.

But Wes Lawrence showing some quickness and very tough to outwit this West Lawrence team.

Well, if you have to substitute, maybe it's better to substitute all five cousins and substitute a three.

You won't have any continuity, just bring in five.

These are all on the same page, all on the same page.

Come off the bench at the same time.

You saw against that West Lawrence extended.

He said, Wait outside, nice car for the safe And then you see some of the athleticism by Demetrius Thomas and actually this 131 zone is not so much of a trap in zones to play the passing lanes.

And what if they try to make these tall do is make the long pass over the zone and they can recover and it makes you use up a lot of time on the clock.

And it's a good tactic to try to control the team that likes to play at a fast pace.

We saw the trouble inbounding the ball and we want to talk about it.

Take the time out coach body saying, wait a minute, we're all right, let's keep going.

Matter of fact, I saw Rob Johnson last night.

He coach the Butler team who played in the state championship in the foyer last night and saw him briefly at halftime.

He played for me at Augusta College and he said, Did you see that zone we were playing in?

It was the exact same one, three, one zone that I had shown him at Augusta College, and we used to use it a lot of times at the end of a ball game when we had a lead because it always makes the other team use time.

What you try to do is they approach the dribbler outside and then you back off a little bit, try to get him to pick up his dribble.

But even if he doesn't, you try to make him pass it along, pass over the zone, and again, it creates a lot of time on the offensive end as we go on.

You pointed out, point out the guy who's the one and we'll watch for tip points.

I heard.

Well, they're man to man on the inbounds play and another turnover and so points in the scoring early going nice layup left hand no good rebound control by you saw up and down and he goes Lee Coleman with the ball gets it off and there's a blocking foul of Demetrius Thomas and you've got to be careful with you West Lauren for some of your big guys getting a chance because you're not as deep as this this whole team Lee Coleman to trigger it and resolve it defending high school three HFC and off the bench back in Roy McClendon 616 and he could see big strong and he'll play inside a little trouble getting the ball in free fall again but the trigger and get it in and here we go another turnover at passing lane defense again creating a little havoc time blocked Well athletic catch by the big guy but he couldn't get the bucket he has to find to look like a football tight end the trouble did he play up to the baseline up no good that was Kevin Reese Well nice move by Reese to the basket Didn't get the lay up little frustration came over the back and drew the foul and another five getting ready to check in three score Don't think I've ever seen this much substituting this early in the ballgame Remember Mitchell Baker we've seen him before play very similar style to this.

Now he's a little bit different.

We saw before in the pass, they had two Crosby brothers and we saw them both really stars that did most of the scoring didn't quite play at this frenetic pace back in it.

Let your players know go full tilt because you'll get to blow and you get some rest.

You'll be right back in this large way.

Number seven coming in against the defending champs and that's what they do to target play all over it.

But for the kill to pick up the slack, my goodness.

I've got to get a third basket in the arena.

One McLendon with a super slam dunk and the stars have shaken the basket.

Shake it in.

This all might be shaken.

Wow that's about there you go with the turnover and there's that defense creating the five second call there But this arena's buzzing And this one right here.

I'll show you why.

Look at that slam and that angle really can't even show.

He was both elbows over the rim and at about 240 £45 to start very strong early going, all the excitement you could ever watch less slides with some pressure there in the blue, you saw the black Jersey City defending champions, the turnover Milwaukee and what the coaches always tells you on a slant like that it only counts two.

There you go.

I'd give him three for that one nine On a scale of ten, try to penetrate and he's tall with three.

Good follow his shot and Chris Lawrence control 4/3 of turnover and that's what he's called easy Jimmy and it is a fast paced up and down game three pointer no good he's tall tries to rebound and he's got numbers and that's a tough team to coaches I'll tell you one and he goes into the slam nonstop action I told you go catch your breath, get ready.

It's going to be down here.

You got to push him foul on the free foul.

And here you see the replay turn about four.

He's tall and he's tall, averaging 88 points a game this year.

The fake thunder is the big guy, up with a nice touch, but not today.

He's Hall wants to run and there's a turnover that's getting physical down low too That'll be his hard ball right?

You might think that West Lawrence would want to take it down on the block to the big guy a couple of times.

Really nobody on East tall that can match him height wise or size wise.

This might be the first game that we see where referees actually have substitutions.

It is up and down.

Well, then if you've been with us and hopefully you have, we've had some terrific high school basketball games.

Well, let's recap some of the score, some of the things that have happened so far.

And there you see Columbus going down in there for a championship.

I mean, there were some terrific games yesterday.

We heard from those teenagers.

The winner over Butler that was in overtime, if you guys watch.

Okay.

Stephenson a winner over Collins Hill by seven and then south Gwinnett a big time winner over tip County in the five terrific high school games as we run down the scores for you Hopkinsville very proud they should be as we get back to action we run one more score for your south what's Atlanta Christian also a winner.

He's tall Try to go for their second on the alley oop not to be and it will be West Lawrence Ball exciting basketball throughout and he's really glad you joined us tonight for the boys three high school state championship and I'm not sure I haven't seen all the games as you have probably seen, but this has to be the most frenetic case of all of them.

So certainly exciting game and it looks like it's shaping up to be a grand finale here.

A lot of quickness on the floor this evening.

Underneath for the easy easy hoop is Kemp.

Kemp and the big guys are getting their good buckets down low for West Lauren Hall trying to work it down but there's another turnover.

The big guy leading the break try to get it off backed up one slam from another great kick.

Chavis I mean, I'm going to tell you what one of the kind of handsome hobbies he does have some hops and it's really amazing for a guy his size still to go up and into the basket like that.

And there's another block shot right there.

Plus, Lance fired up now for a couple of slams.

Let's take another look at the big guy.

Looked like he wasn't going to get his feet down and boost exploding jumping ability because it really didn't look like he was going to get up for the dunk.

Just looked like an easy layup.

And all of a sudden the defending champs are down by five in the first quarter with plenty of time to go.

He's inbounds.

They're trapped in the quarter and let's see if they get out of trouble when they do.

I was waiting for him to take off from the foul line into the corner, showing some range no good and he's called will control.

They got down to Frank Davis, as you saw.

He's only a sophomore.

He's averaging almost 15 points a game.

And out of the 88 points that these guys score, 77, he's almost 78 points are coming back next year.

So keep your eye on his He's tall team.

They could be coming back to the state finals for a while trying to trigger it and get it down low.

Frank Davis to the hope and knocked out of bounds as West Laurens defense he's scored most of their points so far on the break once they've had to set up in the half court that 131 zone is giving them problems and questions goes to the man to man on the inbounds play layup then good again Second shot by Davis No good shot no good And they just can't fire hoops right now That's West lost control.

They're running again.

They are not the guy you want handling.

You're probably out front trying to settle it down a little bit.

You see that dramatic you saw there all over?

You didn't have an air defense.

And there's where I think the West is going to have the advantage tonight.

They can set up and in their halfcourt offense, I think they can be very effective against the smaller these tall team.

And I don't think he has that option.

They're going to have to win this one on the break.

And that was Kent, Kevin, the big guys underneath what he saw with the three pointer no good and what they're going to have to hope is obviously they were down with big guys from the first quarter.

That's not the story.

They said they got out hustling the guard to get that ball.

He's called back on defense.

Big guys just got over half court, looks inside and he'll be called the Cavaliers.

He's good with the basketball, too.

Got to feel like he played football.

He does look like a tight end.

I mean, he does.

I mean, he's can you imagine him going up for the ball if the overthrow him?

You've done something wrong.

He's tall not shooting at a high percentage but running up and down and probably used to getting a lot more transition baskets than they have so far early going as Herb mentioned, that 131 defense by West Loren sort of slowing things down and calling them turnovers didn't play in that passing lane.

Here you see the field goal percentage line seven for 15 He's tall force of 13 again because of his own defense giving him problems He's talked of that yet and one that was a great look inside there no look pass again from the wing Brandon Glasper and Kent Kemp they're having a terrific start putting it up, putting it in and a chance for a three pointer.

And this West Lawrence team has taken control very early.

Here you go.

That's nice.

And again, West Lawrence, with the ability to convert and a halfcourt offense and that's going to be tough on East Hall because they just don't have the size well to when you turn the ball over ten times in the first quarter, that's going to hurt you.

Wow.

When a couple of those turned into easy baskets, he's halfway inside and that's what they need.

Brandon Glasper with the three pointer constant pressure here just turn that into the thin air to get it up over the defense.

But he did.

And you're right.

Right.

So you can see he's like, what's wrong with that?

Inside pressure?

But his touch is called east west.

Whenever there's more stuff going all over the place, they're going north, south at a fast pace, that's for sure.

That's as close to my seat so far this year.

Here we go on the break for Chris Lawrence on a ticket for the whole and they will call blocking foul.

That's a good call.

Moved on him after the player gone up there making his move to the cylinder.

Marcus Jackson tried to draw it but not to the problem.

Still moving here you see our crack camera crew right on top of it as usual.

That's all right.

That's a nice one.

Into the big guy again for the slam, the dunk.

So nice.

We wanted to see it twice to the foul line.

Michael calling.

He's one of the seniors in the starting line up in there for them.

Not to belabor the point down here with West Lauren's defense, but it is making a difference.

And you'll watch when the restart guard comes across the point man on that one, three, one will guide him to one side of the floor, the other.

He won't really try to, you know, play him close.

He'll guide him to one area.

Then the wing man will come up and they'll just play the passing lanes and that'll create the pressure he's called.

What's the ball?

How do you attack?

That hurt if you're the offensive player.

I'll get back to that in a minute.

What an up and down first half.

What an exciting first quarter of a high school basketball.

1711 West Lawrence leaves the defending state champs easily.

Stay right there.

Catch your breath.

We'll be back with more basketball right after this message.

And welcome back to the three AA Boys High School Championship.

West Lawrence in control early 17 to 11 over the defending champs.

This whole mess reminds me of sort of two heavyweights, maybe one guy smaller than the other.

The little guys going to try to go to the body to wear them down.

But in the early rounds, the big guys scoring the big punches.

Well, it be interesting to see if West Lawrence does wear it down in the second half.

We probably see them use all their timeouts to get as much risk as they can for the big guys.

Well, it doesn't seem like Ken Kent can miss it because he's five for five.

So and that was a huge factor in that first quarter as he's overplays and starts to run the other way.

And that's how he's whole really depends on their offense to getting those transition baskets.

I mean they really don't want to set it up.

They want to get you the turnovers and get easy.

Whoops.

Exactly.

Tried to trigger it in and taking it easy.

Whoops underneath a little intimidation here and we go the other way.

The big guy's been sensational.

One clinical football.

He's called to try to bring it back, but they turn it over again in the first quarter with ten turnovers.

So that's now 11 threes early going the Slants attacking Banana Man and they got possession Jonny Evans with the foul and he can't take too many of those off it going to come to you that they're going to add up on you pretty certain you were talking about that let's see it again let's look at it one more time.

Yeah he was bang knees there.

Now as we get ready to come down on the other end, it was in plenty two too.

We're talking about the effectiveness of that one, three, one defense.

Okay.

Let's say you're the offensive guy.

How do you, how does his heart attack you?

Well, that point guard has got to try to split the two defenders and not let them push him out in the corner.

You see him pushing him.

Now, if he can split him, then he can create a advantage for the offense.

But it's tough to do jumper up and no good finding there for the rebound and West Lawrence still attacking and trying to go in maybe a turnover there but they looked out like a little volleyball Well heads up play knew he couldn't catch it but he tipped it ahead to his own man and tall still with a very tight pressure defense and it pays off.

There in Coleman with the steal and still with the ball gives it off nothing going underneath and Tyrone stuck by the basket and going back up is Kendrick Coleman That's one thing you don't want to do as a player is missed the dunk.

If you're going to dump it, you better make it.

But he went up strong and then he went up again and drew the foul.

Here you see the replay shown so many sensational dunks already in this game.

Let's see it one more time.

Kendrick up and oops Lee Coleman with the penetration and the nice wholesale substitutions as we mentioned, his call will go ten deep.

At least he was lines a little less but very effective underneath and so far showing early going seconds is up it's good junk has bled in and if we try to keep you updated with all the ins and outs of he saw, he'd been missing some of the action.

But we'll tell you he's coming at it out.

They substitute sometimes five at a time.

Six in early pressure against the Grizzlies as they kind had too much trouble getting it.

So far most of the turnovers have come when they've got their offense set up and he's stealing the passes on that and they try to throw it in, which was on the attack underneath.

And one of the job they're going to wave it off for an offensive foul.

A lot of players in between us couldn't see on that one, but the official was right on top of it.

You'll see it again right here.

I mean, that might have been a charge, but this is to Marius Thomas and I really like him.

He's only a sophomore, six four is athletic and he's going to be a player.

I love anybody who puts it on the floor and takes it to the hoop.

Strong Third, there's that defense again.

Marvin Hall.

All kinds of problems.

Let's love slowing it down just a bit to clean it up with the jumper.

And boy, that starts going.

It's going to be a long, long night for McLendon with a great start.

Big guys got a nice game.

You know, he's got hops he showed a lot of touch there He's tall down by seven and another turnover and this defense is just just wonderful.

I don't know how often Wes Lawrence plays this but they played it really well tonight.

It's like pull back out on a control break and they have it.

They take it back underneath with a tough shot from the corner.

Not to be a rejection.

It is all over the court trying to get the ball in the middle to pass up and do it in one hand camp.

And that ability to rebound again, two or three shots, they can scramble.

They've got some quickness, but they are getting some second and third shot attempts and he's tall, is really going to have some problems.

If they can't get their offense going.

There's the block, then the pick up and the nice pass by McLendon, who has great court awareness.

Just an easy layup.

And we said earlier well maybe he's Hall tries to wear you down eventually but if you fall too far behind me down doesn't do you any good can be seen here great seen this season up the first the three point play all of a sudden it's a ten point lead just what you want him to do pick that dribble up It hurts been pointing it out but they're really having a tough time with that 131 defense And there there's you see that's the way you beat it right there.

You penetrate between two players.

Then you're going to have a mismatch for the offense.

But they haven't been able to do that very often.

And you'll notice most of these hall passes are going to be high passes and they're going to be long passes against that zone.

Well, you would think that's a shot goes up no good rebound by you talk to coordinate the fake and blocked by McLendon that's what's holding no chance of getting that back and bringing the ball where they're tough underneath the slots is the slowed down just a bit blending outside and all of a sudden Henry Prince hits and this is a very hot Russ large team to the hoop That's the way they like to do it.

Beautiful left handed move all the way up the floor.

Marcus Jackson Elliott Jr trying to draw the chance not to do what's wrong with some numbers here with a pull it back but they'll try to get it inside and go the other way offensive foul.

Now to me, if you say try to attack that was large 131 with his false quickness it seems like they have plenty of guys who could do that.

Well, you would think so.

But again, you're trying to beat two players every time when you're trying to do that penetration.

And and again, the defensive players are not trying to get right up on the offensive player as they approach it and then they back off and that makes it really tough to penetrate Jacqui's plan.

Down on the hurt ankle.

Let's see what happened.

Hopefully it's nothing serious.

Can't tell what he's holding.

You don't like to speculate, but I haven't seen many zones used in the high school championships this year, though I think this is probably the first other than just sporadic use on the three quarter pressure, full court pressure, but and so it may be effective against a lot of teams because I don't think you see near as much zone as you used to see.

Well, you made a terrific point.

It it slows him down and as you see Greg getting up and hopefully he's okay walking under his own power, as we like to say.

Yes, you can take a team like East Harlem, make them use more time on the offensive end than they're used to, then you're definitely going to take them a little bit out of their offense.

And it's also, you know, when they're taking the long shots, it's good chance for West Lawrence to get the ball out and get it going the other way.

And with West Lawrence Size, they haven't really gotten a lot of second shots.

Exactly.

But here we go.

Second quarter, 2514 West Lawrence in control over the defending champs as they try to attack three pointer up 3.0 good off the rim chance to tip them I believe that was tipped in by Walter Hill West looks back from the attack quickly downcourt looking at it Ralph saving it so it doesn't go back but he's tall picking up all over the court touch of the looking for turnovers there but not to be inside it looked like a little bit of a walk but put it in Nice.

He does Well, I was about to say if they can get the ball to Clinton in the post, he can make the strong move and he's got great eyesight, great vision and he makes the nice pass in the dish.

So anytime they can get that ball into the post, they're going to be effective and that's the third foul.

Demetrius Thomas, who is playing a terrific game too.

Nice dunk, just nice body control for big guy brought it up So one of the big guys Thomas goes to the bench with three and I would be willing to bet you're not going to see him until the start of the third quarter.

He's tall trying to go inside another turnover.

Now, I'll tell you one thing, we look at the halftime stretch, you're going to see how much these turnovers have hurt.

He's tall.

Once Lawrence tries to bring it over, just get it to the and he's the guy that he's tall controls with the quickness on the break three pointer up to no good you're not kidding from the outside trying to penetrate up and good beautiful move that was Martez Johnson Jackson only a junior and as I mentioned most of these kids from his taller coming back.

It's an important 3 minutes right here for his hall to try to get back into this game, nine point game.

And they can catch his margin down some of the pace they can score.

This is anybody's ballgame in the second half trying to penetrate.

That's a great ball picked up by West Lonzo.

They hold on he's tall trying to pressure that's what they do and so you know that to come in with fresh bodies and he's not ready to come in with four new players West is doing the right thing now coming to meet the pass against his hall.

You've got to do that.

They're going to get a hand in there, deflect away.

That's what they did early.

But I think the coach said something to him and now they're coming to meet the ball on every pass.

More substitutions, four and four out going to the foul line.

Thomas Smith got what he was.

Got to give Coach Williams a lot of credit for employing this defense that he's put out here tonight against this his whole team.

But of course, sometimes if you stay with the defense too long, the offense can start to get used to it and find some holes in my mistake on line at the foul line.

All right.

Shooting keep an up and good.

And I'll tell you what, Russ Lawrence has been really impressive in this first half.

And again, this is the defending champs are going against his small team, the team in ranked number two and 32 records.

They're not used to being behind at any time, any late coach concerns.

And that's what we thought.

These top 35% without not getting anything inside way outside.

Thanks, Davis.

No good.

Frank Davis can't get off the slide.

Throw it away.

So we'll go to the foul line once again.

That was a good angle to see all of the passes just about, especially though bad offense.

There's Frank Davis off and he's a great shooter and he looked like he put that up.

A little serve.

And why not?

Because McLendon has shown you something and he a slight bit of intimidation down there underneath.

Still with this case, it's anybody's ballgame.

But a ten point leading slow down game is not the same as a ten point lead in this type of game.

Looking strong ending, lined up wide open for the layup.

Easy help for Jim Kemp.

No excuse to get beat off the free throw in an L.A. state by the guards free fall and that just calls that 131 11 No foul whistles coming down to Clement from way out hard inside good pass up and shooting to if he can catch those guys underneath We talked about it in the fourth quarter this was straight and it showed really impressive defender he's a guy who can do it all up.

He's going to steal some, but he certainly could play some forward for somebody at the next level six six average 16 points per game just impressed with his overall court awareness Very smooth ball handling.

We saw his touch.

We saw his hops explosive.

You're right.

He's got caught.

Good court awareness, good vision.

All of a sudden, we got a 14 point game.

We saw it to get a bucket this time down he's call the 131 inside beautiful pass up and there's a three point play and his match mentioned they needed that and there you saw a pass that didn't go up high They found the crease in the zone right there and made a nice entry pass.

And then hopefully they get the three point play and nice to see.

Glen, who was down a few moments ago, looked like he was hurting either a knee or an ankle.

Get that hip so he should be okay.

You want to cut it down?

Maybe you want to get it below ten before you go into half, get a working margin, get a little confidence freestyle with full court pressure.

Watch.

Laurence hasn't had any problems with it.

They've been scoring off the press to some teams.

Just they'll give you a bucket or two to get you in that very small, intimate Jimmy Buckets.

The three pointer lay up no good another rebound Harris Lawrence West large controls inside to the big guy McLendon loses the ball for a moment get up so strong but you just didn't have to happen That's great to have a target like that and a guy that goes after the ball when you throw it into him and he's he's got about three inches and about £30 on anybody he's tall to put in there against Warren McLendon going to the free throw line of 63% free throw this season.

And again west West Lawrence able to score in the halfcourt offense as we've seen and they can run the ball too.

So a very well-rounded ballclub impressive The second of two ended up at Clemson Good American coach fine He's been one of the great coaches in Georgia for a long time, is going to make some adjustments against that 131 at halftime practices hall come out and do a little better you would think he's hard trying to work out against that 131 zone defense, giving him so many balls in the first half and there's a foul that has hurt mentioned maybe attacking some of the creases right there.

Yep.

Bobby Langston will go to the foul line.

You had a stress fracture.

Cost him some time this year, just maybe starting to get back, get his legs and get his his win.

But he's only big free throws here.

Again, the psychological factors when you look up there and if he can get it under double digits.

I mean, the Clintons head was at the free throw rebound, just got shot and it's going all the way.

the play with a three pointer wanted to show some range, but not to be checked and probably ill advised.

And yeah, Coach Williams is not really happy with that one.

In less than a minute on the clock, he's got a 13 point lead run a little thought and get a better shot than that.

I'm just guessing that you saw he's going to go for one.

Just a guess but maybe let's say he got 39.

I think they're going to check.

And boy, you are right.

They are just forcing him into that double team back on and play those passing lanes.

Make them throw that lob pass, which allows your defense to get set.

Again, that line extended no good to Clinton trying to get it up and good.

Nicely done.

It's 40 let's do it again.

I think that's the first time he's got an offensive rebound and put it back in for a bucket and maybe a three point play, which would be big for them right now.

Get a little momentum back on their side, just figuring it.

It'll get at least two or three more shots at the hoop.

The way this game going, I think, you know, Westmoreland's going to come down hopefully 1 to 2.

Let's see if they can get a pressure, a lot of pressure.

They want to get a turnover.

Let's see if he can do it.

Russ Lawrence, again, sensational.

And breaking the pressure so far in the second quarter, Boise State, a high school basketball championship, all the planning underneath the wheel and deal and he'll be found that number probably should have taken it strong to the hoop and he had the size advantage and steady reloading shots a little fadeaway I can see the six six 245 can take it stronger though he worked on handling the ball and he gets some range he'd be a nice little small forward for big time college so you see the numbers ten points make it 11 and eight rebounds.

So very nice.

First half for Warren McLendon, one of those guys you never have.

Haven't heard of them all year.

He's not a guy that goes getting a lot of moves up in Atlanta and then he's a player.

Put up some quiet numbers.

He is a player.

He's a great athlete.

He's tall with a long three pointer.

Not to be airball.

And that will be the half and what a half it is.

The rest waving it off.

He's tall, the defending champs by themselves, down at half by 12 points.

And I can't imagine that's happened all season.

What a sensational first half by the West Lions Raiders who came in ranked seventh.

But boy, have they put on a show, especially Warren McClendon.

Let's go to Lisa, get some words from the coach, see what happened in that first half.

Coach Williams, your team was awesome defensively.

How do you keep the same tempo going for the second half?

Just keep you in sight that we're doing and we've got to hope they keep doing what they're doing.

I'm sure they'll make adjustments.

He's a great coach with a great tradition, so he'll make he'll make the changes.

So we had to adapt to his changes.

I thought we made a change in the first half to what they read.

He'll come back at halftime, do something out.

So we've got to be ready.

All right, Coach, Thank you.

Good luck in the second half.

Glad you talk to me first.

Steer back to coach.

What's going in there?

He's got a 12 point lead.

He wants to talk to his players.

3725 West Laurens Over.

He saw the second half of the boys.

Three eight championship is coming up after these messages.

and welcome back to the Macon Coliseum halftime of the a boys basketball championship and there you see your score West Lawrence leads it 3725 over He's tall.

The Raiders and the Vikings a great basketball game Going to go courtside now And Lisa Weise.

Lisa, All right, thanks to you.

Joining me now, the principals from West Lawrence and East Harlem.

Ron Key West.

Lawrence, it's been a long time since y'all have been here.

You've got to be excited.

we're very excited.

You know, you won the last state championship, last final, four, half a half like we've had.

That's great.

We just feel good right now.

And I know that I saw I was talking to you over there during the second quarter, and I couldn't help but notice that you're kind of like the coach on the sidelines.

no, I'm not a coach.

I'm a principal.

But yeah, when I get excited, that's here.

What can you say about the support from the school in the community?

you can look around.

You see a sea of blue.

And we've had support from the board, from our sister schools across the county, from Dublin City schools.

We just filled this place.

I would say we have a couple of thousand, maybe 3000 folks here.

Now, I know it almost seems like you're playing in your house, like the home field advantage from this crowd is sure it makes you feel that way.

And that's good because we're only 45 miles down the road anyway.

All right.

And also joining me is the assistant principal from East High, Principal Mike Gillam.

I know principal is here, but he couldn't make it down to the court.

Right.

Dr. Sloan has a broken leg, and I know he'd love to be here.

He's by far our biggest supporter I've mentioned.

First of all, he did receive a great honor, too, for the East Hall High School and community.

He's the high school principal of the year and will be representing the state of Georgia in the national convention in September.

So I know Bill would love to be down here.

We could we could wave to him in the back.

Thank you.

What can you say?

You guys have been here a lot.

This is like your home away from home.

You make the final four seven, the last 11 years.

You're defending state champions.

What's it like to be here?

Well, our folks have gotten where they really expected.

As you say, I know there's a sea of blue here, but there's a pretty good sea of gold and white over on this side.

We have won it in 2001 and then took a year off when we made it to the fourth round of eight and then won it last year.

Going to try to defend it this year against obviously a very good West Lawrence team is playing our style of basketball.

All right.

And then I know also like Gainesville, every year, Gainesville has won in 2001, 2003, East has walked away with the victory, surviving this, telling me that it must be fate or good omen anyway.

Well, we hope it is, that's for sure.

You know, we hope we can follow up the Gainesville girls and get our third one out of four tries.

And that's what we're hoping anyway.

All right, Thanks.

And back over to you.

I know about wrestling.

You guys look really good this year.

Yes.

Well, we just had a great year.

These guys played all the way through this tournament.

Well, we came out number one in the region and just played through They just showed great class all the way.

They're just country guys from the Montrose Ridge, Cedar Grove, all those little towns.

And they just loved to play basketball.

All right.

Thank you so much, Stu.

Back to you.

Hi.

Thank you, Lisa.

I'll tell you what, when you get in front of the principals, you never know what's going to be said right now.

Anyway.

Great job, Lisa.

Well, we have 6 minutes of basketball left and then championship weekend on GPB comes to an end to bring you the final 60 Minutes.

Here's Duke, Hi Tech and Erbland.

Thank you, Jim.

What a first half it has been some excitement and some special, unbelievable dunks and this is probably one of them coming up, Warren McLendon is for show, as has his whole West Lawrence team.

Here.

You count he'll be doing that at the Citadel next year.

So they have gotten one big time player He's called not enough transition baskets, Herb not enough easy baskets And that's why that low percentage where you see West Lawrence getting a lot of fast breaks.

As we mentioned, they can play half court and they can also get out and run And he's tall with a long three there.

They'll take some more of that to get back.

Chris Lawrence just put an impressive show on this first half against the state defending champ.

He's all trying to run, trying to penetrate, trying to get that ball underneath like that, but just haven't done enough.

And if you see it, you can see the shooting percentage.

And look at that.

31% is not going to get it done.

Rebounds fairly easy and the points off turnovers, it's extremely small.

He gets that look at the turnover, 16 turnovers, first half, a lot of those created by that zone defense, making them throw the bad pass and a lot more free throws because West Lawrence got to take the ball down inside and draw some fouls.

And here's the key in the second half too.

If West Lawrence stays in that 131 zone, he's tall, has got to find a way to attack it, break it down and get some better looks at the basket.

And look at Kent, 18.7473 rebounds.

It's the big guys who are doing it underneath.

And as we mentioned, it's East Hall who depends those easy easy transition baskets and often off the turnovers but it's not to be in that first half.

Okay we've got two more quarters left in the boys three eight championship game West LA's 37 East 25.

Stay right back.

We're coming back for what should be an exciting half of a high school basketball.

And welcome back to the boys three high school basketball championships West Lawrence what a show they put on so far, 37 to 25 over the defending champs East Hall.

All right, let's talk about it.

Obviously, West Lawrence has to do the same thing.

If you're east half.

What do you want to do in the second half?

Well, you got to get back defensively, for one thing.

Way too many fast break dunks and breakaways for West Lawrence.

But again, they got find a key.

If it's west Lawrence stays in that 131 zone and East Harlem doesn't find a way to start breaking it down the student percentage is not going to prove it.

It's going to be very difficult for them shooting in the low thirties.

You're absolutely right.

Here's East Harlem to start the second half of what has been an up and down and exciting basketball game.

And indeed they were in the 131 just can't hit even from the inside up and no good and those big bodies of West Lawrence are making a difference, bringing it up, slowing it down.

He's tall with constant pressure, as they have been, and that is their way.

But so far, West Lawrence has controlled the entire way, taking their time, slowing it down a little, much, much more patient in the second half to start it off than we were in the beginning of the game to the hall and open.

Big boy.

I don't know.

I'll tell you what, to me at this angle, I'd love to see a replay on a kick and look below the rim and look below the rim.

You make the call.

Be tough to call from this angle.

Yeah, it is tough to call a nice replay.

And here we go.

It all still counts.

3925.

He's tall.

Try to go against that 131 and Herb is explain to you how do you attack it but still effective he's tough from the corner long jumper no good rebound control and Marquez Jackson has tried to penetrate against the two defensive players the last few time down and had little success on that first time down.

You got to keep going there that's in my imagination or is Warren McLendon starting the second half on the bench.

You're right it's is kind of interesting run through corner no good And now he's tall tries to control and they do it.

He's not hurt.

I can't imagine why he would be on the bench.

I actually don't see him on the bench.

So maybe he's in the locker room.

We'll have to check on that and we'll get Lisa weeks to find out what's going on there.

He's tall, making a bit of a run, and here he comes right now coming into the locker room.

So we'll see what's wrong here.

Shut up.

And no guard.

And he's tall, getting a little more active and a little more confident and running with the ball and trying to make the run.

Let's launch back one of his best out of control.

I was just about to say a smart move by Jackson to slow it up and back it out.

Then he tried to penetrate again and lost control.

And here comes Warren McClendon as he looks like he's limping on that left leg and he looks like he's in some pain.

I guess he's wincing even not even running.

So I think he's maybe has a hurt ankle or hurt me or something.

But let's see.

Let's learn from the break.

Well, that is some quick ups.

That was Glenn getting back And great hustle by some place green that lost it out of bounds.

So that could be a factor.

We'll have to keep our eye on that because Warren McClendon was sensational in that first half going back to retrieve it.

Now, again, the signing of Citadel.

So they must be proud because they got one heck of a ballplayer.

Plus, Lawrence slowing the pace down.

much more delivered to start the second half.

Well, they can afford to do that again.

There's no shot clock.

They can take their time and work it as long as he got the luxury of going in there.

Sure, why not?

To my tenant curb wife bringing the boys three basketball finals.

We're certainly glad you're with us live here in Macon.

And it has been a fun game to watch this large part for the athletic.

And we talked a lot about McLennan in the first half and you saw Tim Kemp with 18 points.

Hasn't missed a shot.

Great first half for that young man and let's see what he's tall can do with this trip down the floor.

Made a bit of a run and there's the turnover again, the floating pass.

Just what that one three one's looking for Near turnover as Herb's been explaining the 131 defense from West Lawrence been effective He's tall, trying to run trying to get transition easy baskets but haven't been able to so far and you're right there trying to attack it.

Herbert just can't get by the team play other double team trying to pick almost the backcourt right there.

So another key is for your post man to front the opposing center and more.

McLendon such a great athlete with so much size, he just doesn't allow ball going to the middle, which is when you want to package and set zone and Russ Lawrence will get it.

So that's another turnover.

And as Herb said, you try to get that lob, that's what you want to try to do.

And so far hasn't been effective.

Those lines been there before that got him behind this season certainly but he's been to the state finals and look at the law of oil boy story of this game so far it's running inside so strong not that time that's like he didn't quite have the elevation he did in the first half.

They had a little problem with an ankle or something right now and he's tall with five in and five out, 18 turnovers.

That's just and West Lawrence, six turnovers and that's just great handling of the basketball.

Well certainly when you're under pressure so much full court it is he's tall trying to figure this 131 zone out we've been harping on to you see the points off turnovers and that third team's at least six baskets Evans with the three that cuts it down to nine And there's the turnover they like and they look for up and down again.

Nicely done by Clint Davis McLendon with a loss of concentration and he can't afford to do that against his own.

Just took his eyes off the defense.

And one great pass by McLendon Sarr with the defense was drew them to the other side of the lane and then passed it back underneath for the easy to Ken Kemp, now eight for eight.

And I will tell you this, that McLendon is is hurting.

Yes, he's in pain.

We can't tell exactly what it is.

I don't know if he pulled a hamstring or twisted an ankle, but he's leaned over that force physically in, played that was a big three pointer because he saw was making the run and he cut it.

Understand, we were getting physical after him.

Not a foul on the dribble on the floor.

No shot.

And it's amazing.

Even in his frantic pace and even as hot as Lawrence was at the beginning, this hall still very, very in this ball game.

Sure they are.

They're a team that's really streaky.

They can score in bunches.

They got three point shooters.

And one thing West Lawrence also does is get back very quickly.

You know, when you're running them in Texas, he got to get back down the floor and get it set up and get everybody in position.

And they've been able to do that so far against a very, very fast twitch.

He's talking these he's had trouble inbounding the ball tonight credit to Russell Lawrence defense look at that he got McClendon in six four on a57 man with that wingspan tough to get it in over the rights think about having someone else pull the trigger but you saw Parker traveling so that would have been a big help.

But not today.

And we go the other way.

You saw constant pressure and they got to try to create some turnovers, get some easy baskets down here.

They're not getting anything out of their half court offense versus now with Lawrence having a bit of problems and.

There's the turnover right there.

So you can see it.

You can see why this east half team is the defending champs.

They went 13 two on Hayward.

They caused teams nightmare for guys in and out and they can all play and they can all hustle and they're all quick.

Sure.

If you're playing a team that doesn't have the ball handlers or the size of the savage this West Lawrence team is, you're in big trouble penetration and then out and that's what these calls from three guys that love three runs on the ground more effectively in the second half.

And now they're starting to turn it over East Hall trying to get hot from the outside or trying to get to the inside basket.

Yet to be gone so far.

Well, I'll tell you what, it's this back and forth.

If you try to call the turnovers, there's a few of them right there going back and forth on each dribble.

You got a timeout called coach finding saves on the turnover right then Good timeout.

Two things were going helter skelter.

Get yourself organized, get yourself calmed out.

Say look boys making a run Let's get some easy.

Whoops.

The pressure's now working, so let's try to get something together.

Let me remind you of one thing.

Make your calendar and mark your for Friday night.

That's March 19 for the return of Georgia's longest running high school sports and academics program.

It's called Prep Sports.

Plus, we'll meet some of Georgia's most successful student athletes, athletic programs and much, much more.

That's prep sports.

Plus, returning on Friday, March 9th.

Joe Frazier.

Yeah, exclusively on gene P be 329 left in his third quarter of the boys three eight high school basketball championship.

Glad you're with us for what has been a sensational and exciting game and could have a starting ending.

He's tall the defending champs trying to climb back this entire game against a very tough West Lawrence team.

And so far I haven't thought the tide turning, but I can sort of feel it coming ashore.

Cut it down.

What was it, 13 points at halftime, now down to 12.

So and a starting to get a few more easy buckets off the press and maybe hitting a few more shots.

Let's see what happened.

Wasn't strong with the rebound and bodies go flying.

He just shifts the west runs looking for an easy hoop, and then they pull it out Mark play.

he's tall the pressure man to man landing on the wing looking inside Nice bounce pass and a foul and number 25 that'll be Kendrick Coleman Cook in camp a nice class McClendon those two guys can just work and watch Brooklyn and he knows he's got camp inside one on one.

He cannot handle the senior down in there.

He's going to go to the free throw line.

they called it on the floor before the shot.

Five more in, five more out with no hurry to shoot when you know, you can get in isolation and get a good shot in the block, run the funding down low to get off the shot in time.

He wants that one.

Very good call by his hall and then back over and he's tall, gets it back trying to run.

They don't have the numbers.

Let's see what they did.

Pull it back out for the moment inside.

Nice.

And that's what they need does a smart control break there didn't foresee it she waited for the trailing man and got the layup when quietly having a nice game for saw down by eight and that's as close as he can for a long time he's tall starting to wear him down just a bit from outside he's tall tries to rebound not to be up and go That's a big basket You don't think so But still they needed to answer.

That was a nice drive too.

And here we go.

He's tall, handsome kind of pace.

They want another turnover.

Back up the glass ball he's back in, and all of a sudden we've got a six point game timeout.

Russ long after really controlling this game most of the way he's Hall has roared back and can turn in a hurry turnovers tell you every time McLendon getting a little loose with the basketball he's tall being very aggressive Got a couple out here you see one layup on the inbounds pass on the next play McLendon will throw it away and watch class go right back and play defense.

He got to came back.

He got the turnover.

He went in for another basket.

We talked about how fast he's hall can score in bunches how West Lawrence may have slowed it down a little too much on the other end may have lost a little bit on the offensive rhythm they've got to get down him they've got to score some points.

I look for him to go inside, maybe not quite, take quite as much time, get a good shot inside, pound the boards like they were doing in the first half.

Well, that's what I was going to ask you about in the first half.

They were playing at East Hall's pace and having some success.

Now what do you do?

Do you try to pick it up just a little or say, hey, let's slow it down and get it inside?

If you're West Line?

Well, the main thing you want to do is make the good inbounds pass, get the ball up the floor, then go right into offense.

Don't so many passes outside, try to get something a little quicker on the offensive end.

I think.

All right.

Let's see what happens.

What's what's going against this East Hall pressure now, the double teams in this defense that is all over the court taking their time, looking inside, look to the front with a guy who has a mismatch, can't go up a little post but no foul and here comes you saw don't think he's got the hops you had in the first half he didn't get any elevation mistake.

Well he said he might be hurt he spent a little extra time in the locker room.

So maybe we'll try to get word on that.

He's tall looking inside.

Yes.

Lance, with the turnover back, passed two on one.

Nicely done.

Good break.

It's a layup.

It's no good.

And he's trying to scramble the possession hero by the way Going Westlands Reign will retain possession Spoke a little too soon but the nice dish on the fast break just couldn't get it to go down Well the one thing about his colleagues that they don't give up on anything.

They don't give up on any pass.

I don't care if you have a laugh.

We're coming after you.

So four in and four out and he falls down with the new set of eight fresh legs.

and I agree with you.

McClinton is not the same player he was in the first half.

I think something's bothering physical inside, locked up and still good.

Nice fight.

Got to two players up on their body contact still make the layup and I'm not sure but I don't think Kepner puts the shot so far.

I think he's 99.

He's a smart player and that's the type that both these tall players wait until they came down, took it up to the bucket, kept his wasn't perfect, was not for ten shots.

I went to South Carolina, but I believe that shooting 90% he's tall trying to end down the ball but call for a violation.

Now get it in quick enough that pulling the trigger.

But he's tall right now.

It's an eight point game.

They got it down to six.

You don't want to let it get up into 12 or 14.

Again, that can really take the steam out of your sails.

But you got 57 seconds until the fourth quarter.

And as I mentioned before, the half, that's 57 seconds in this game.

It's the first half.

That's three.

So let's see what happens.

Kept having a sensational game.

By the way, the merchandise of Tennessee has 23 points.

Chris Lawrence gets it in.

And here's how to catch your man and end pressure by Aesop under jumping and running.

Now let's run to the guy and he's down seven.

Clinton fouled on the arm and still wincing and don't know if it's the pain the hack on the arm or the heck on the leg or what's going on 4638 with 45 left in the third quarter, 45 6 seconds to it right down the middle, but deny he's tall with the turnover.

Let's see what they do out of it and wide open doesn't see him now he does in a no good five Davis again will go to the line Frank Davis, a guy we highlighted before the Saints, say he's one of the key players.

He's had a tough night.

Chris Lawrence done a good defensively on him.

He just missed easy win sometimes boy if you don't get off the snide it's really tough to get it going here you see the nice pass couldn't get the layup but stayed with it and drew the foul on the second attempt and maybe especially for a young player even though he's above average for a sophomore, way above average, almost out of 1015 points, sometimes you feel the pressure you mistake finals but nice touch on the foul shot and up and do it again and it's 36 seconds we have got a six point game G hall with good London trying to bring it down tough and he goes looking all right there as his way to the bank or offense look good McClain with a strong rebound that's what he did in the first half.

He puts it in for an easy hook.

You don't want to get your head in between the ball in his hand when he's traveling.

That that my.

Almost a spectacular dunk by Coleman.

Hey, let's launch control and then they turn it over and then he goes down and that's the other way he go Great effort by Coleman no those 4 seconds left the suns get a basket and yes they will just do a chin chin and it's good And he's ten for 11.

That's where to keep up with that.

So after three exciting quarters in the boys, three eight high school basketball championship, it is 5240 West Lawrence over East Hall come on back.

We'll bring you down to stretch.

And welcome back to the 38 Boys High School basketball championships.

You can speculate about what's wrong with Warren McClendon.

Let's go to Lisa and find out.

All right.

See, thank you.

I talked to one of the assistant coaches and asked if McLendon showed an elbow was hurting to get elbow surgery about a month ago.

They say his elbow is fine.

He's had a stomach virus and he's been throwing up all day.

So during this last break, they just gave him a lot of water and Gatorade.

So hopefully that'll help rehydrate him.

Stew Backstrom, thanks for the call by Dr. White over here who said it might be his stomach.

We thought he was leaning over and holding his leg, but he did it.

It's affected him a little bit.

He's still playing a sensational game.

Okay, here we go.

Final 8 minutes, at least half time to defend their crown.

And they're going to try to do it by penetrating and then getting some easy hits.

There's a good way to start there's that pressure.

Well, they needed the first basket of the half.

Chris Lawrence, close it out with a four point flurry that really hurt him.

Let's see how deliberate West Lawrence gets.

They try to slow it down, are still attack and they're pulling it back just a little bit, spreading out.

This is called defense blending inside, trying to isolate way outside for the three pointer.

And that is a big move.

He's tall coming back and still attacking this Lawrence with the ball back and forth we go.

They're slowing it down a little and he'll be double team with it a time out.

Mark, Mark, Thank you, Michael.

All right.

Well, that was a big three pointer to answer that easy.

Yes, it Was you brought up a good point, too.

It was a four point rule change.

It could have twisted this game a little differently.

At the end of the third.

Right.

Coleman went up, missed the slam dunk on the follow that would have really fired his team and the crowd up didn't get it.

There's the big three, nothing but the bottom.

And then West Laurence went down and scored right at the buzzer and it was a four point swing is down to six points.

That made it ten points at the quarter.

And that's a big difference.

And there you see the three again, that just kills you after you've worked and leave a man open, good form, shoulders lined up, face in the basket.

Nicely done from the three point area.

All right.

Wisconsin, still plenty of time, especially at this pace.

He's tall, trying to cause some turnovers, trying to cause some problems.

McLendon always relieves that pressure.

The guy that that stomach fires, as Lisa told you to stomach from a normal three pointer.

That's just great job by McLendon to find the open man in the corner.

Henry Prince and a great job by Prince to drain it with a wide open shot.

And all of a sudden this whole person just a little too much.

And there was nothing there for Jackson.

Again, he's tall, really struggling with their halfcourt offense.

They don't like to have to run it.

He's tall to three.

They're probably a better shoot, usually probably shoot more threes in that.

But the 131, he stopped it.

We'll try to work them up.

Still trying to get those turnovers We're trying to wear down this once last year but so far hasn't worked.

Only three for 12 with Lawrence on three points.

It's good pressure.

They've all been big three pointers at the right 12 point game with 622 left the defending champs still time still plenty of time trying to defender crowds.

This is at the pace of an NBA game or quicker, you know, 24 seconds like in the NBA.

It can be a minute game with eight points.

It's nothing.

I can't imagine either one of these teams has taken more than 16 seconds to shoot any one shot in any one possession.

These tall try their hand at it.

The music easy hoop Jackson to of take it from the outside just can't find but that's what they do and when he went down early in the second quarter looked like he was hurt he played solid game that's that went up in a hurry on the thunder had a chance this one slowly characteristic that he's tall with the pressure from the front and normally release it in the beginning and my goodness back court Yep Good call.

We're right on the line.

We're right at midcourt.

And sometimes just, like hot shooting turnovers can become contagious very quickly.

Paul McClendon should have jumped out about another three or four feet and been a target there in the middle, and that would relieve some of that pressure.

But again, he's playing with a bad stomach.

He's probably dehydrated, could be cramping for all we know.

And there you get a great view of that one three.

One difference that hurt is illustrated.

So well and explained so well how it works and how you have to attack.

And that's how you attack it right there with a double triple Brandan glass here with a three pointer.

That's huge.

He's tall.

So the feeling just a little.

Yeah.

Well, I don't want to beat the dead horse from a plane and makes the right play every time.

Beat the defense the dribble, the sling hook pass into the middle of the clip.

Looks like they're going to get a layup at this point.

If you are with Lawrence and you still are breaking the press, do you want to start pulling it out and working around instead of keeping that frenetic pace?

Or do you want to just keep it going?

I keep it going.

That wasn't a real frenetic pace and he's got a good shot.

Great.

Take it proudly to see here the car is going to be against and it looks like he's tall.

Still a very, very tight game, 5649.

No free throws ball is going to be inbounding.

And with all these fouls this could come down to who's going to get one on the foul line.

He's tall with the chip, with the turnover pulling up and pulling the trigger.

Nope bowed yes in a foul and you saw be going to the line Walter Hill will shoot too.

Well they're swarming now, sending five guys to the board on every shot going for broke.

Because if you got that many guys going to the offensive rebound, that opens up the fast break the other way.

That's what up to?

No good.

Walter Hill, only a freshman.

And as we mentioned, you're going to see this, his whole team back for a few more years.

They've got freshmen and sophomores circle and they but that hurts as we talk about foul shooting.

I think it's going to come for he's going to hit from the line which lives between possession That's a lot of pressure for a freshman in the state championship game.

Step it up late He's tall with the pressure rest Lonzo Ball get back Just attack going inside nothing there so they take it back out to the play hard basketball they're reeling it's slowing it down just a bit seven point lead for 46 left to the hoop and block great Drop step move them by shift.

Nice defense also right until went up with the shot and Ken Kemp is having a sensational game only missed one shot tonight but the more shots for his less Lonzo.

Looks like they're going to pull it back and look down low to the big guys inside outside let's call all over the court the players up and dunks again Canada's straight for a couple of minutes He keeps up he's fouled will be feeling sick to the stomach up to no good He throws Charles and brings it back down a wild shot but he'll go to the line not a shot you want to foul somebody's on right there but a good play by Marquez believe it was John Jackson.

Get in there and draw that foul.

Here we go.

And Roy got it up out of it.

Who knows?

But I kind of feel that not a defensive player.

They found and Demaryius Thomas fouls out on that call.

I'm not proud of the sophomore little disappointed that he found but you have many more games in his high school career.

Big free throws coming up for Marcus Jackson.

He's got a couple from 412.

Final, final of this year's state high school basketball championships.

Glad you've been with us.

Hope to see most of the action I've got some certainly tonight, some sensational games.

If you didn't see our earlier game Gainesville won these girls to play championship cats are huskies with just one section on the Shockers off three straight Mr. Charity tosses late in the ballgame.

Second one up there that will fall right into the precipice.

Fall goes Any time you take it under that basket, you're in danger.

Careless move a lot of people out to what's large tip When he gets it go to the hoop.

Maybe not any one bigger We need tonight.

If you put it on the floor and your big guy gets these guys are going to get it here.

He hall tackled to the hoop happens there and over the back that'll be a vote he likes he's tall continues with the pressure he's tall inside they're going to get the ball down low the former three get it up in the air you can see he's got the defensive rebound.

And that's where I can really tell difference in him right now.

He's not even trying to leave the floor.

I think he's really weak.

He's just going to pick his spots to really make it count when he gives it the effort.

Well, he had one of those.

So one time in the second half, he didn't go on his way.

He had one dunk worthy of any level of basketball in the first half.

What's Lawrence inbounds?

No problem there for the double team is on and they are swarming and that's what this all does to McLemore.

He gets it up quickly.

Chris Lawrence decides to run it.

It's to be defensive foul at top it gone either way cosigning he's taking a long hard look yet again under control left hander no foul there I believe I'm just guessing this is the game of his life first of all for the state finals 27 points four boards and I believe only one missed on the field.

Yeah, he's a 19.16 rebound guy so not not on the boards like he normally would be but certainly is made up for it with scoring tonight and just unbelievable shooting percentage is it 12 for 13 leading from 11 to 13 wasn't a really solid thing off from the foul line so far shot defending over the back on somebody in West Orange over the back just a block in our view and every time he saw has made that run he'd have kept on the Clinton have come up with a big hoop inside really done a nice job on a tech east hall and played that 131 defense to perfection.

Now it is what's wrong with a full court press in these hall now is really going to be every possession is going to be big ten point lead with 335 to go score quickly and get turnovers and that's not what he need and he's out of bounds so that'll be small ball no surprise where as long as he's going to the press that zone has been certainly foul in the zone.

But what you do is you allow his hall of chance to get up the floor a lot tougher to get your zone set up as they're coming up against the pressure.

Plus, it makes McClendon work even harder already operating on a bad stomach, 14 a little closer now.

It was 18 to 6.

So he's Hall has gained a few more turnovers in the second half.

But still with that full court pressure in the case of this game, 14 is not too bad.

He's tall, looking for open shots but still can't find him.

How long that zone is making him take the even get a shot off?

Yeah, look, you're right.

You're absolutely right.

I mean, they're moving back to the spots.

There's a time of fun to watch.

The rebound gets poked in the eye, and he is a warrior.

Whoa, man.

Pass.

And that is big time.

And if that's a three pointer, that is huge.

Made that pass with one eye shot about two thirds the length of the floor and the big guys getting it out.

He is getting out.

He is hurting And again, a great catch on the other end.

That's beautiful play Henry Prince will have a chance for a three pointer.

I talked to Coach Williams about MacLean and he said, good, quiet kid, good student discipline.

Citadel is a good place for him.

He's a great athlete, he's a great kid, and he'll have success wherever he goes.

And he is getting it out.

He'll look good in a uniform, that's for sure.

Tell you what, don't get him in front of the football coach Chris Lawrence with a rebound.

There's McLemore Look at that Time to back it up then go to Khalil Chandler the Hawks in the win tonight.

I don't think Coach Williams might normally say something to a player at this stage of the game to go behind the back but you don't think he's going to have any words for his big guy right now Pretty agile with a stomach flu.

Came out of the locker room to start the second half a little later than the rest of the team.

Actually didn't even start the second half.

But what a sensational game, along with Ken Kemp and the rest of this was large team going against the defending champs.

to heck with trying to penetrate the zone with fire.

40 footer.

I was going to say, let's see how much time they have to run off the clock.

Actually taking about 8 seconds that time to get a shot off Walter Hill, who was the first one to miss the foul shot, certainly took a big three pointer to hit it.

So the freshman not feeling it and then feeling it.

What a great weekend of high school basketball and some sensational performances.

So in case you missed any of them, let's run down some of the scores.

And there you see the foray ball game.

Those lady Blue Devils losing last night, same pass winner, 63 to 59 and Butler a loser to Mayes, 59 to 53.

If you saw any of these games or have any comments, feel free to free perfect comment.

Stephenson is a winner by seven great basketball game.

Call that one of the best girls games I've ever seen.

South Gwinnett very strong obviously this year they win going away from tip county in the eight girls it was Hopkinsville winner 53 to 45.

Hey boys Southwest Atlanta Christian a winner over Whitfield 63 to 45 and then earlier today, some of the games that we brought to you, Wesley had a winner by one point.

And Randolph play a winner over Carver.

And then one of the sensational performances that we saw, Gainesville with Humphries pouring it on 61 to 32, and also the Macon Bears in our wheelchair championship over the Clayton Eagles, 50, I believe it was 37.

I saw that this morning.

Terrific.

It was a great ball game.

Right up to the last quarter.

Macon had been trying to beat the Clayton Eagles for a long, long time and pulled out win.

And I'm telling you, the looks on those kids faces was just unbelievable.

These call trying to defend their title inside no good rebound no up whistles with McLendon finding the easy easy wide open and smartly but back up you don't have it don't take it Let's launch working it back out and passing Clement up there smartly taps into one of his teammates and now we might see him in the Four Corners action.

And when the foul soon slowed it down and we going have the foul soon and it's going to come down for the foul line as we saw that.

203 when's the time when you're down by nine to foul.

Now you've got 30, 40 seconds.

Go on this launch.

Try to take it to the heart of these tall teams.

So good at stealing.

But Blitz was handling it.

And there's the turnover.

But if you wait too long for that turnover, maybe not.

Maybe not just nine points with a minute.

49.

So you're looking for the steal of the turnover, but you come down the next time you almost going to have to foul unless they get a three pointer and it's 6256 and you can afford to let a little time run.

But it's almost time to figure out who you want to put on the free throw line.

Russell Owens with a little token pressure on the back for that 131 as we talked about, extended a little.

Maybe you can see it really well.

The run the three in the run he's called breaks it up and there's a turnover.

That's a killer.

That's an absolute killer right there.

And there you see Coach Varney, who brought this team here last year and won the state title down by nine with 145.

McLendon with a nice pass, a nice walk up and no good Restall has to do something.

They have to do it quickly.

They might even need a three up.

And that's it with the doctor ordered by Jackson.

So quick timeout and it's a six point game.

Yep Chris Lawrence missed an opportunity for an easy one the big guy that's so nice about McClinton and a lot of guys would have come down a charge here you see the play on the three looked like he might attract a footnote he kept it down nice looking three.

But right before that McClendon made a great play, came down with the pass.

A lot of guys would have just turned around and started to move.

It came down under control, found the open man.

They didn't get the bucket, cost him two and then the three pointer.

Now it's a six point game.

What do you do here, Steve?

I'm asking you 130 to 60 2 to 56.

I say, Well, you go for a quick steal.

You can't let more than 15 seconds go off before you foul.

I agree.

Once that ball gets across half court, you know, you got to start looking to fight.

Well, let's see what.

Glad you're with us on Exciting game of the boys Three world championships.

Let's load up on it.

He's tall.

Chris Lawrence, the Raiders, killing it and ranks number seven.

But they look like number one tonight.

Good pressure Clemson trying to break it There's the reach in there too fast so not a bad play not a bad play.

You went for the steal and now it's going to come down to these big foul shots.

And McLendon has a 63% free throw shooting from the line.

So Last time he was up there, he hit two in the middle of Beasley.

Let's see what happens now.

Pressure time now.

He's got a nice stroke on it.

No, some guys will shoot 63% on the year, but those guys would shoot 63% here.

They might shoot 50 at press time and they might shoot 85.

We'll find out.

Learn of some of those things.

Sensational tonight.

Football up and good luck.

He's a magnificent shooter, redshirted playing with a stomach virus.

Not at 100%, but you can tell by some of the dozens going on tonight.

Got to get it up and that is good.

Quick turn.

You don't have to have the three is he got a good look.

Go ahead and take it.

But you got to score quick.

You start looking for the three looking from the perimeter.

That's going to be a tough let's see how much time a run off the clock is a minute 23.

Now they're going to have to set up half court against that one, three, one zone.

You know, they're looking to fire as quickly as they can.

He's tall, looking for that three pointer.

He would have to break penetrating from the corner West Laurens all on that looks short, almost.

No, no.

What's wrong with Fisher with the rebound and a foul But they don't come on down for the wide open lance later but little too high Camp would have thought that it might carry him right on to the back had something on it.

Now with Lance backing up that 131 defense approaching less than a minute to go for his corner, pull out a miracle.

There's one up to three them, no rebound.

And Ford continues to have to fire up three and Austin out hitting it just might do it wide open the layup and here we go Michael alive and that could have been good night 6656 in about three quarters of this coliseum the ropes.

And I'm telling you, Westlands has got the folks out here tonight.

Lee Coleman hits a three and time out.

Still time 11 point ballgame.

They're going to need a turnover, a quick foul on the inbounds.

He really can't wait to foul now if you don't get the steal on the inbounds play you got a foul here Funny game up and down from game they're going to play good smart like film has been a very, very entertaining game.

It's always good to see contrasting styles going at it and I'm very with this West Laurence thing.

He's tall, he's got a very good basketball team at West Lawrence.

He's got all the pieces and they can go inside, outside, they can run, they can set up a half court.

And then at one, three, one defense, they tell me tonight, it's really been impressive.

The last time West Orange won a state title was back in 1981.

So it's been a long time, but they are very close to winning another some 23 years later.

Yeah, I believe I go Mr. War.

And then I wasn't really trying to hurt him.

He's put on a show as I said, Kent disappointment for Coach Bryant who came here with a great feeling for Coach Williams.

He's saying, just hold on guys, and a couple of foul shots and we're home.

18 points, 14 rebounds, stomachache and some good passes through and flames from the foul line.

Not a great chance for the but seven for eight from the line for a guy that's shooting 6057 right here when it counts different guys do different things, doesn't get the role there but he's done them up where we talked about McClendon in camp with their size and ability inside is probably going to be the keys given his passing power.

And that's certainly turned out to be the case here.

What happened that one three was a three pointer up.

No good, Captain is good, but a little too late on the break, at least three.

So this was double team opponent, double good timeout you're right about that because the turnover there you throw the bad pass and a quick three then you got a one possession game.

Crazier things have happened yesterday it carried out it was a game a long time ago as we stepped down memory lane.

Was it North Carolina or Duke, one of the two that were down nine points with 75 points and ended up winning the game?

Yeah, the last five or six years alone.

Yep.

Or has taken you down memory lane.

I wasn't taking your car down memory lane.

I can remember things that happened a long time ago.

It's things that in the last ten, 15 year that I have a problem with.

What's been fun.

to bring you all the high school basketball games and certainly the games from here in Macon.

Great crowds, I'm sure.

Throughout.

Yeah, just outstanding crowds in the arena.

Outstanding crowds here in Macon, two wonderful venues and two different parts of the state.

It's really great for the high school association to have two places so they can move these championships.

And also great to have the games on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

So folks who can't get to the venues all over the state of Georgia can see the live action.

McClendon found again.

So he'll go to the line just 2 seconds quick off the clock, but that might be mission impossible.

We shall see.

March Madness just getting started.

Great high school basketball, college basketball season just starting to get really, really interesting with March Madness around the corner to clean it up a little short of my first one.

Yeah, it's the first year.

Well, I mean, there's absolutely no clear favorite in college basketball this year that I can see.

So it's going to be wide open and very exciting.

The president will pull the trigger on the second one and it is no good.

So he's going to have to bring it up very.

But turnover and that was it.

That is all shooter and that's sort of the composite tonight the turnover and he's tall just couldn't handle that defense.

So to the foul line this one's will go Michael will shoot and it's going to be interesting and fun evening here in Macon first Winnetka no good shot I start with 11 seconds and six point lead.

I think you'd rather see us all for the sake of our is no good.

So here we go.

We start counting down.

What's Lauren's Raiders look like?

They're going to win this state.

Tyler McCormick with the BLOCK, and we'll just let you listen.

All right?

This place is packed with West Lauren's folks.

45 miles down the road.

And it is bedlam in the Macon Coliseum, 67, 61.

He's tall, goes down the defending champs, but they shall return.

They certainly will return.

But what a performance, a gutting performance by Warren McLennan and Kit Kat was sensational.

Henry French came up with some big time shots, some buckets.

And Demetrius Thomas, the sophomore, showed promise for the future of this Raiders team.

So there they are, their final state champs crowd And there's part of the celebration thanks to our crew as always just great great work.

Thanks for old buddy Frank Malloy keeping us up to date on the stats as always.

And thanks to the folks in Macon, the folks in Gwinnett.

And I think Lisa's trying to get over there to have a word with somebody in the huddle.

And good to see you again, Stu.

Always great.

Congratulations on the new baby.

Thank you.

Always, always.

My pleasure.

All right.

Let's go over to Lisa and hear from the winning coach.

An exciting moment for him and coach Williams.

23 years.

23 years.

You finally did.

It's been a long time coming.

We both did this for our fans.

The fans have been unbelievable.

You can see by his support, they've been waiting a long time and it's been unbelievable.

Wait.

And this was for the fans.

This is me to you and your team.

For three years, we've been preaching.

We're in state and we work.

We play 70 games every summer to get here and we probably would go enjoy it.

Coach, thank you.

Thank you.

Stay back to well, the weight was worth it.

Gutty performance, terrific performance, two different styles.

We got to see two different types of teams and two different philosophies, too.

So for all of us here, for Herb White and Stuart BLOCK and our entire crew, thanks for watching.

High school basketball.

We're tonight the final champions were crowned west.

Large wins over East Hall.

Have a good night and we'll see you next year for the high school basketball playoffs and championships.

This broadcast of the Georgia High School Association State basketball championships has been made possible in part by IBEW local number 613 South Trust Bank.

Georgia's electric membership.

Corporations dodge State Farm and buying the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.